Readability analysis of patient information on the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery website

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the readability of patient-oriented online health information (OHI) presented on the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (AAO–HNS) website. Study Design: Review of the Flesch-Kincaid (FK) grade level for 104 articles on the AAO–HNS website. Methods: The FK grade level for 104 articles was determined using the readability calculator available within Microsoft Office Word 2003. The interobserver reliability for the FK grade level was determined by calculating the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for 52 entries. Results: The average FK grade reading level of the articles was 10.8 (range 6.3-16.7; 95% CI, 10.4-11.2). Eighty-one percent of the articles were written at a ninth grade level or higher. The intraclass correlation was good (r = 0.83) for the 52 articles that were independently reviewed. Conclusions: This analysis has shown that the average reading level for each article on the AAO–HNS site was higher than the recommended sixth grade reading level. Although the AAO–HNS site is written at a higher level than that suggested for the general public, it is important to realize that readability is just one consideration in the evaluation of OHI comprehension. Physicians need to be cognizant of their patients' ability to read and comprehend written information and tailor their educational material appropriately.